Research has revealed that the cost of avoidable fire alarms, such as false alarms, are costing SMEs in the UK £696 million every single year. The figure comes from research conducted by Red Fox, a leading and independent expert in technology and B2B research, commissioned by Hochiki Europe to understand
Ahead of the commencement of Section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022 in October 2023, the Home Office has published new guidance on the fire safety responsibilities of responsible persons (RPs). Released on 3 July 2023, the vital government guidance covers the types of buildings the new fire safety
Aggregate Industries has proven its unrivalled technical prowess once again having played a pivotal role in the development of a landmark new solution designed to provide automated, real-time reporting of embodied carbon emissions. Formed in Spring 2022, the Scope 3 initiative aims to drive real climate action by providing detailed,
There are many expenses related to running a business. They include paying for your team members’ salaries, benefits, and so on, utility bills for office electricity, water, and the like, and many more. Among that is paying for commercial insurance. What’s commercial insurance? It’s a type of insurance coverage targeted
A new and exciting opportunity awaits specialists in the field of fire safety as they are encouraged to participate in a groundbreaking framework aimed at supplying fire safety measures for the public sector. The Fire Safety (FS2) Framework, established by the LHC Procurement Group, is now open for applications from
Leading fire engineering consultancy, OFR Consultants working in collaboration with the Structural Timber Association (STA) is offering the wider industry valuable clarity on the fire safety design of mass timber buildings. Publishing its research into cross laminated timber (CLT) compartment fire behaviour in Volume 6 of the STA’s Fire Safety
SNC-Lavalin (TSX:SNC), a fully integrated professional services and project management company with offices around the world, is launching its decarbonization service for the industrial sector – enabling industrial users in global markets to make informed, tailored and data-led decisions about reaching Net Zero targets. The move is the latest progression
A new venture focusing on passive fire protection and health and safety training in the property and construction sector has been launched in the north west with virtual reality at its heart, in what is thought to be the first of its kind in the UK. Jason McKnight and Joseph
The Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP) has published three new Advisory Notes and updated another. The documents cover a range of topics related to firestopping, penetration seals and smoke seals. Advisory Note (AN) 13 covers the testing of partial penetrations, for example, socket boxes, which are installed into dry
Leading life safety manufacturer Hochiki Europe have today announced the results of their latest survey of both UK and overseas customers, revealing that four out of five (over 80%) of Hochiki customers believe that the company manufactures and designs innovative, high quality, and robust products. The survey went to customers
Research has revealed that the cost of avoidable fire alarms, such as false alarms, are costing SMEs in the UK £696 million every single year. The figure comes from research conducted by Red Fox, a leading and independent expert in technology and B2B research, commissioned by Hochiki Europe to understand the impact of false fire alarms on UK businesses. Over 300 SME businesses were asked how much they estimate an evacuation caused by an alarm not caused by an actual fire, cost their organisation and if it had a significant impact. Nine out of ten of these types of alarms resulted in total evacuation of businesses and one in every four caused significant disruption to the business, so much so that on average almost 30% of those unplanned fire incidents are costing £1000 or more in disruptions. This research indicates that when the statistics are broadened out to cover the whole of the UK, false alarms are indeed having a multimillion-pound impact on the economy. Businesses across a wide range of industries were interviewed, including the hospitality, leisure and travel sectors, retail and ecommerce businesses, financial and insurance arenas, healthcare, manufacturing, public sector and not for profit as well as education. When asked to think about the immediate and obvious financial impact, owners and senior management revealed that these unplanned alarms had far reaching consequences in lost productivity. Factors included interrupted meetings (33%), staff settling back down to work i.e., chatting and getting drinks etc (32%). For the manufacturing and IT sector over a quarter said the time it takes to get production processes started up again and security systems checks completed as the biggest interruption, whilst in the food and drink sector 10% said preparation processes needing to be restarted with anecdotal evidence also sighting the resulting food wastage as impact that goes beyond financial ramifications. Not all impact can be measured by numbers so respondents were also asked to describe the impact false alarms have on their business. In hotels guest relations suffered “All our guests had to leave the building, this ruined their guest experience”, children’s education was impacted “Teaching was disrupted, pupils and staff had to leave building” and it would also seem that other emergency systems can also be impacted from some of these false alarms “The unplanned alarm interrupted the day’s work and I had to call out our on-call electricians to come and fix the alarm, which had also knocked out the emergency lighting”. 64% of respondents believe that most alarms experienced in the past 12 months are false alarms. This is backed up when you look at what respondents said caused the alarms. Aside from the drills, and kitchen incidents, dust and smoke caused from building works and maintenance caused 20% of false alarms followed by equipment failures at 18%, with 12% sited as other causes or not known. So, with false alarms coming in at over half of the reasons why an alarm is triggered, this may suggest that these buildings are possibly not fitted with fire detection devices or systems that include multi-sensors, which are proven to significantly reduce false alarms triggered by factors that are not a genuine fire. Whilst half of respondents said seeing the alarm in action reassured them that the system works, the scariest figure that the research uncovered was that 56% of business owners or managers said that excessive false alarms mean that staff don’t take the alarms seriously enough, leading to alarm fatigue and complacency from staff. “The associated cost that false alarms are causing UK businesses is staggering, but the fact that false alarms are causing such complacency in staff is really worrying. For businesses who are based in multi-use buildings, or public facing such as hospitality and retail outlets, where whole fire detection systems are shared, false alarms can be a regular occurrence. If your staff are thinking “it’s just another false alarm” then you as business owner have a serious problem and this should not be ignored. False alarms can be caused by several things ranging from lack of maintenance, toast burning or building renovations causing excess dust. The good news is that all these issues can be resolved – multi-sensor technology is constantly evolving to reduce the risk of false alarms and improve fire safety. We would always recommend that the responsible person for the business, and/or the building landlord, work with professional and trusted fire safety experts to investigate the causes of repeat false alarms to get them resolved ensuring the safety of your staff, the public and the future proofing of your business.” Learn more about the survey findings and how you can reduce false alarms in your business here. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Ahead of the commencement of Section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022 in October 2023, the Home Office has published new guidance on the fire safety responsibilities of responsible persons (RPs). Released on 3 July 2023, the vital government guidance covers the types of buildings the new fire safety requirements apply to, the duties for all RPs and those RPs of buildings that contain two or more sets of domestic premises, and other changes to fire safety legislation. Its purpose is to ensure that RPs have the necessary information in which to prepare for the changes that will come into force later this year. In particular, the guidance highlights the requirement for RPs to keep a record of a full and completed fire risk assessment; the fire safety arrangements within their premises; and, in buildings containing two or more sets of domestic premises, provide residents with relevant fire safety information in a format that can be easily understood: “You should make available as much information as possible about fire safety in your premises. This new requirement replaces the previous requirement to record only the significant findings of the risk assessment. It also removes the previous limitations on the circumstances within which you are required to record both the risk assessment and the fire safety arrangements at your premises, such as only being required to record this information if there were five or more employees or where subject to licensing or an alterations notice.” As outlined in the guidance, “These requirements apply to all non-domestic premises, such as where people work, visit, or stay, including workplaces, and the non-domestic parts of multi-occupied residential buildings (e.g. communal corridors, stairways, plant rooms). The requirements do not apply within individual domestic premises.” The Home Office adds that a competent person must be appointed by the RP to make or review the fire risk assessment, adding that the legislative requirement for this will be “brought into force at a later date”. “In the meantime, if you do appoint a fire risk assessor, our recommendation is that you ensure they are competent to do so, in terms of having sufficient training and experience or knowledge and other qualities. It remains the case that the Responsible Person has a duty to make sure that a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment is completed.” Briefly, the duties to be taken up by RPs include: RPs of buildings that contain two or more sets of domestic premises are also required to provide necessary information to residents. The full guidance can be accessed here.
Aggregate Industries has proven its unrivalled technical prowess once again having played a pivotal role in the development of a landmark new solution designed to provide automated, real-time reporting of embodied carbon emissions. Formed in Spring 2022, the Scope 3 initiative aims to drive real climate action by providing detailed, scientific embodied carbon emission calculations for the first time, as part of the automated invoice process. Headed up by construction software leader, Causeway Technologies, the project, which is due for completion next year, is being developed in collaboration with Balfour Beatty, Galliford Try and Morgan Sindall, alongside Aggregate Industries as major supplier. Dr Adam O’Rourke, Causeway’s emerging technologies consultant, comments: “As the net zero mandate grows, it’s vital that construction begins to tackle embodied carbon emissions head on. Unfortunately though, embodied carbon is incredibly difficult to measure and track due to the vast variants involved – the result being a lack of confidence in the various measurement systems available with firms often overestimating it as a precaution. “This Scope 3 initiative seeks to address the challenge by developing a solution which is able to provide wholly accurate, scientifically-led embodied carbon measurement in real-time reporting across projects as part of the invoice process.” In initial tests, Causeway worked with samples of 25,000 invoices from all involved stakeholders focusing on materials with the highest carbon impact. Crucially, Aggregate Industries’ unique Your Carbon Report provided a best practice example as part of the process – the system being capable of addressing embodied carbon figures down to the line-level items such as distance to plant, plant energy and distribution. Dr O’Rourke adds: “Aggregate Industries’ carbon reporting played a pivotal role in informing some of the strategic decision-making, thanks to the sheer level of detail and accuracy. While some suppliers tend to offer a standard carbon factor metric, with Aggregate Industries the measuring covers everything from the individual components of each different product and plant through to the distance to plant, raw material values, plant energy and distribution to site – and all in real-time.” Due for a formal launch next year, the Scope 3 initiative’s new software solution will offer a credible, verifiable, efficient and scalable way to measure Scope 3 emissions in real-time, using invoice data automatically extracted from Causeway Tradex. The companies collaborating on the initiative are currently engaging with suppliers, as well as validating and testing elements of this software. The project is also being supported via a knowledge partnership with the Engineering Department at the University of Bath. Kirstin McCarthy, Sustainability Director at Aggregate Industries, comments: “Talking to our customers, we know that sustainability is a priority and that they want to take progressive action in their approach to embodied carbon. However, we also know that the current way of doing things can be daunting and difficult. “With this, we purposely developed Your Carbon Report to provide our customers with the industry’s first true ‘cradle to grave’ measurement tool so they can see the embodied carbon impacts of their material choices quickly and with ease. “We are very proud to have been so heavily involved in the Scope 3 initiative, with our tool and our technical expertise helping to shape this important solution and we look forward to helping bring it to market in due course.” Aggregate Industries’ Your Carbon Report is the very first carbon reporting tool that enables customers to access a ‘cradle to site’ assessment to calculate, track and report embodied carbon with ease. The result is that construction professionals can easily access and view exacting material carbon-emissions data for products by manufactured Aggregate Industries, thus enabling carbon-smart choices during design and procurement. For further information, please visit www.aggregate.com.
There are many expenses related to running a business. They include paying for your team members’ salaries, benefits, and so on, utility bills for office electricity, water, and the like, and many more. Among that is paying for commercial insurance. What’s commercial insurance? It’s a type of insurance coverage targeted toward companies. Commercial insurance coverage varies depending on the insurer. If your business has commercial insurance, you must pay your premiums obligation regularly to stay protected. With the high inflation rates these days, unfortunately, your company may find it challenging to keep up with high premiums. Are you tired of paying high premiums for your commercial insurance? You’re not alone. Many business owners seek ways to reduce their insurance costs without sacrificing coverage. Luckily, this post will discuss some effective strategies for lowering your commercial insurance premiums. Read on to learn more. Work With A Licensed Insurance Broker One of the best ways to reduce commercial insurance costs is to work with a licensed insurance broker. Say you want to switch to a new insurer. Licensed insurance brokers have access to multiple insurance companies. They can aid you in your quest of finding the best coverage at the most competitive price. In case you’re content with your current commercial insurance but want to lower your premiums, licensed insurance brokers can help you identify any overlapping or unnecessary coverages, which can save you money. Before working with a specific insurance broker, check their license number to verify if they’re allowed to provide insurance services in your area, membership with different commercial insurance broker associations, and the like. Shop Around For Different Insurance Options If you’re looking for commercial insurance, don’t settle for the first quote you receive. Instead, shop around and compare rates from multiple insurance companies. Inquire and get in touch with various insurers, licensed insurance brokers, insurance sales agents, and the like for information such as insurance policy terms and conditions, quote on premiums, and others. You may be surprised at how much you can save by simply taking the time to compare prices. Buy Package Policies Another way to pay for lower commercial insurance is to buy package policies. These policies combine multiple types of coverage into one policy at a much lower cost. This move is more economically sound than purchasing individual coverage separately. A clear example of a bundled commercial insurance policy your business can avail of is the business owner’s policy (BOP). It typically includes coverage for commercial property insurance, general business liability, and business income insurance. Increase Your Deductible Increasing your deductible can also help lower your commercial insurance premiums. What’s a deductible, you may ask? It pertains to the money that you’re willing to pay with your own pocket prior to your insurance kicking in. By picking a higher deductible, you’re assuming more risk, which can result in lower premiums. Focus On Safety Did you know that focusing on safety can help reduce your commercial insurance costs as well? Implementing safety measures in the workplace like employee training, regular maintenance, and safety equipment can help prevent accidents and injuries, resulting in much lower premiums. Classify Your Workers Correctly Make sure your workers are classified correctly. Misclassifying workers as independent contractors instead of employees can result in more expensive insurance premium payments. Be sure to review your worker classifications regularly to ensure they’re accurate and adhere to your current commercial insurance terms and conditions. Pay Your Commercial Insurance Premiums In Advance Paying your premiums in advance can help lower your commercial insurance costs. Many insurance companies offer discounts or other incentives to business policyholders who pay their entire premium upfront. Inquire with your insurer about their policy regarding advanced premium payments and how your company can take advantage of it. Review Your Coverage Regularly It’s important to review your commercial insurance coverage regularly to ensure it meets your needs. As your business grows and changes, so do your insurance needs. Make sure your coverage is up-to-date and reflects the current state of your business. Get your whole team onboard to figure out how insurance helps them with their work and how it can be used to forward their goals. In Conclusion These days, many businesses find themselves having a hard time meeting their premium payments. Luckily, an entrepreneur like you need not worry about paying for an arm and a leg for your business’ insurance coverage. There are many effective strategies for lowering your commercial insurance costs. By working with an insurance broker, shopping around, buying package policies, increasing your deductible, focusing on safety, classifying your workers correctly, paying premiums in advance, and reviewing your coverage regularly, you can reduce your premiums without sacrificing the quality and scope of coverage that you get from your commercial insurance provider.
A new and exciting opportunity awaits specialists in the field of fire safety as they are encouraged to participate in a groundbreaking framework aimed at supplying fire safety measures for the public sector. The Fire Safety (FS2) Framework, established by the LHC Procurement Group, is now open for applications from prospective suppliers nationwide until mid-August. With a substantial allocation of funds, this framework holds significant value, with £105m allocated for England, £20m for Scotland, and £15m for Wales. Each regional area will have six available spaces per lot, ensuring ample opportunities for successful applicants. The FS2 framework encompasses a broad range of services, including the provision of new or replacement passive and active fire protection measures for both domestic and non-domestic buildings. Additionally, it covers fire suppression, consultancy services, waking watch services, and cladding remediation. Compliance with all current legislation, such as the Building Safety Act 2022, Fire Safety Act 2021, and Fire Safety (England) regulations 2022, is a crucial aspect of the framework. Dean Fazackerley, Head of Technical Procurement at LHC, expressed the importance of fire safety in light of recent events, particularly the Grenfell Tower tragedy. He emphasized that local authorities and social housing providers are now prioritising the preparedness of buildings in the event of a fire. In response to these urgent concerns, FS2 represents a significant advancement from its predecessor, FS1, by expanding the range of fire safety measures available. The framework has been meticulously developed in collaboration with expert consultants, ensuring comprehensive coverage of current legislation. By aligning with regulations and industry best practices, it offers clients peace of mind. Fazackerley further highlighted the value and expertise that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) bring to the field. By tapping into their knowledge and capabilities, the FS2 framework aims to provide a wide array of national and local organisations capable of undertaking specialised projects. This approach will undoubtedly offer distinct value and tailored solutions to meet the diverse needs of clients. If you are a fire safety expert seeking to be part of this groundbreaking framework and make a significant impact in the field, we invite you to find out more about FS2 and apply by clicking here. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Leading fire engineering consultancy, OFR Consultants working in collaboration with the Structural Timber Association (STA) is offering the wider industry valuable clarity on the fire safety design of mass timber buildings. Publishing its research into cross laminated timber (CLT) compartment fire behaviour in Volume 6 of the STA’s Fire Safety in Use Guidance, OFR has shared the findings of its study which set out to establish the relationship between different building heights, uses and consequence classes as well as performance expectations of structures in the event of fire. Recognising that the main challenges for the industry in delivering mass timber buildings has been due to confusion on the routes to compliance with the Building Regulations, in addition to what evidence designers should provide when seeking to demonstrate how they comply, the new revised guidance provides important information for designers and building control bodies. It allows parties to approach the design of mass timber buildings with consistent expectations of what types of solutions and analysis should be expected based on a building’s height and use. Speaking about the project, OFR Technical Director and co-lead author Dr Danny Hopkin explained: “OFR is the lead research partner delivering the STA special interest group (SIG) project on cross laminated timber (CLT) compartment fire behaviour. The study identified that higher consequence buildings should survive the full duration of a fire, whilst lower consequence buildings should survive long enough to facilitate the escape of occupants and fire service activities. Understanding this distinction is important in ensuring engineers develop the correct evidence to support their designs when demonstrating compliance with the Building Regulations. “We’re thrilled that this study has been developed into industry guidance via Volume 6 of the Fire Safety in Use Guidance. Working with my co-lead author and OFR colleague Research Leader, Mike Spearpoint, we advise that the guidance should be considered on a project-by-project basis, considering the specific fire safety strategy for that building and the input of all key stakeholders.” Andrew Orris at STA added: “This new guidance encourages dialogue with approving authorities to establish the structural fire performance objectives, considering fire strategy first principles, such as the evacuation mode, fire service provisions, and the inclusion of additional fire safety systems such as sprinklers. It also provides an appendix of application examples to aid designers in their use of the guidance.” Once completed, the guidance was independently reviewed by a stakeholder review panel. Building on two and a half years of use by designers, the STA has updated the document to incorporate feedback from users. OFR has retained oversight of these changes to ensure that the document aligns with the original intent, and by reviewing and editing the second edition. The standardVolume 6 of the fire safety in use guidance can be accessed here: https://www.structuraltimber.co.uk/libraries/technical-documents/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
SNC-Lavalin (TSX:SNC), a fully integrated professional services and project management company with offices around the world, is launching its decarbonization service for the industrial sector – enabling industrial users in global markets to make informed, tailored and data-led decisions about reaching Net Zero targets. The move is the latest progression for the award-winning* DecarbonomicsTM service, following its initial launch at the start of 2022 for commercial and government sector building portfolios. SNC-Lavalin has adapted the tool to enable its expansion into sectors such as industrial, mining, power & renewables and aviation infrastructure. What is DecarbonomicsTM Julie Gilmour, industrial decarbonization lead in Nuclear & Power at Atkins, a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group, said: “Industrial users need to pinpoint what interventions and actions will deliver the most cost-effective, efficient route to Net Zero for each individual site. Through DecarbonomicsTM Industrial we’ll combine our data-driven approach and carbon knowledge with process engineering expertise to analyse even the most complex sites, and bring together a wider range of data to identify process efficiency improvements and develop site-specific roadmaps.” Tom Waterman, project manager in Nuclear & Power at Atkins, a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group added: “DecarbonomicsTM Industrial empowers clients to meet Net Zero targets and improve strategic decision making by providing early, data-driven insights and essentially making carbon visible. By allowing scenario comparisons and providing robust and accurate roadmaps clients can fully understand the impacts, and cost, of each combination of interventions and carbon reduction measures. These are delivered alongside clients’ industry-aligned, existing solutions, reporting systems and streamlined audit processes, to implement the changes required.” SNC-Lavalin has delivered this scope of work for multiple clients including its role as Engineering Partner for the UK Government’s Industry of Future Programme in 2022. It is now looking to global markets where it has regional coverage in the UK and North America to co-create with clients as the proposition evolves and scales. As a group, SNC-Lavalin’s core expertise serves clients across a range of markets including Transportation, Buildings & Places, Defence, Industrial & Mining and Power & Renewables – as well as a complete range of services in instrumentation and automation of industrial processes. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A new venture focusing on passive fire protection and health and safety training in the property and construction sector has been launched in the north west with virtual reality at its heart, in what is thought to be the first of its kind in the UK. Jason McKnight and Joseph Dillon have set up trainingEXP as a sister company to their construction and project management business RECOM Solutions, which is based in Salford Quays. The duo have invested a six-figure sum in the venture and have recruited experienced fire protection professional Adam Steed to head its team of trainers. Adam has joined trainingEXP from Warringtonfire, a testing, inspection and certification company. He was an inspector of fire protection systems registered under Warringtonfire’s Fire Certification Scheme (FIRAS). The new venture is providing in-depth passive fire protection training aimed at the residential, health and social care, commercial, leisure, education, heritage and industrial sectors as well as fire and rescue services, professionals such as architects, tradespeople and operatives. VR training that replicates live environments to raise awareness of common fire protection hazards in buildings is a key feature of the courses. Jason McKnight said: “We have developed innovative and bespoke software which is unlike anything else available in the UK and Europe. “It works in a similar way to the hazard perception section of the driving theory test. By replicating live environments, such as hospitals, users can take virtual walks around buildings to carry out passive fire surveys and identify fire protection hazards in an immersive way. Unlike other available software, this is entirely interactive and our delegates can interact with the simulations we have created.” He added: “We are committed to improving fire safety awareness, knowledge and skills across the built environment and to help raise standards. It’s a growing industry and there has been recent legislation which has made the provision of quality hands-on training even more necessary. “We initially created a training academy for our own specialist passive fire protection operatives, supervisors, project managers and surveyors. However, in response to client demand we decided to expand it into a full-scale venture. “We believe there is a great need for this service, and we are using VR as a central component of the training to enhance the experience. “Given our project management and construction experience, the new venture aligns well with what we do as RECOM and we are confident our experienced trainingEXP team led by Adam will deliver a compelling service to the sector.” The range of online health and safety courses launched by trainingEXP focus on construction environments and cover areas such as asbestos, design, regulation, first aid and manual handling. All courses are recognised or accredited by industry bodies such as the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health and the Association for Specialist Fire Protection. Adam said: “It’s an exciting opportunity to head trainingEXP. Our mission is to help companies and organisations better understand their obligations and provide industry professionals with specialist knowledge that will improve fire safety “The training aims to create an in-depth understanding that passive fire protection is a life safety feature and compliance within this industry needs to be fully understood to move forward.” RECOM’s own passive fire protection division is the fastest-growing arm of the group. A raft of contract wins has seen it expand into a nationwide operation, and it has doubled the size of its team of directly-employed installers to over 40 in the past 12 months. The team undertake projects at locations including NHS trusts and hospitals, schools and universities, government offices, social housing schemes, apartment blocks and office buildings. RECOM is an approved contractor under FIRAS for its fire protection services, which include passive fire protection installation, fire door surveys and installations, repairs and upgrades, fire strategy reviews, compartmentation surveying, advice and guidance, training, development and support. The company, which was founded in 2015 by Jason and Joseph, also undertakes construction project management and main contracting work across sectors including healthcare, education, retail and leisure, commercial and residential. It also provides consultancy services to assist in the design and delivery of health and safety, sustainability and cladding projects. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP) has published three new Advisory Notes and updated another. The documents cover a range of topics related to firestopping, penetration seals and smoke seals. Advisory Note (AN) 13 covers the testing of partial penetrations, for example, socket boxes, which are installed into dry wall systems. Firestopping products are made to help maintain the performance of a wall where such electrical boxes have been added. A CEN standard is currently being drafted to cover the testing of these products. However, in the interim period AN 13 suggests that the firestopping of these products is undertaken using an ad-hoc approach, based on testing to BS EN1364-1: Fire resistance tests for non-loadbearing elements. Walls Advisory Note 30 covers the transition from CE marking to the UKCA mark. It explains how all of the different passive fire protection product families are affected, describing the likely next steps in the process. It aims to help manufacturers and specifiers alike to understand what will be required during the transition period. Advisory Note 31 covers smoke seals used in conjunction with active fire curtains. AN 31 was produced in response to false claims that manufacturers used draught excluders to prevent the passage of cold smoke and that these would be of limited use in a fire resistance test scenario. The document explains that the performance smoke seals used are the same technology as might be used in smoke leakage-rated fire-resisting doors. Where smoke seals are added for a leakage test, they also have to be present for the corresponding fire test. Advisory Note 15 has been updated. This explains the interchange of flexible wall systems for service penetration seal systems. When first published, this note provided pictorial clarification of a long-winded statement in BS EN1366-3: 2009: Fire resistance tests for service installations. Penetration seals. This standard has been amended, and some of the scenarios permitted in the 2009 version are not now reproduced in the 2021 version. The drawings in AN15 have been amended to bring them in line with BS EN 1366-3: 2021. ASFP Advisory Notes are available to download for free from the ASFP Publications library, visit: https://asfp.org.uk/page/Publicationslist Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Leading life safety manufacturer Hochiki Europe have today announced the results of their latest survey of both UK and overseas customers, revealing that four out of five (over 80%) of Hochiki customers believe that the company manufactures and designs innovative, high quality, and robust products. The survey went to customers across the UK, Europe, Middle East and India and included direct customers, distributors, systems partners and indirect customers (for example purchases made via a distributor). The survey revealed that the top vertical sectors that customers operated in were across construction, education, health care, the leisure and tourism industry, rail, security, social housing, warehousing, but also included industries such as energy, oil and gas, commercial property, travel hubs, technology such as data centres and retail. Customers were quizzed on product, technology, supply chain, customer service, sales, team expertise and what they might want in the future from this global manufacturer of life safety systems. A whopping 93% of customers think that Hochiki products are “reliable” and nine out of ten agree that they “help to reduce false alarms” – particularly important when considering the continuing impact false alarms have on production and the economy globally. Looking at the survey results around ease of installation, ongoing maintenance, and ease of use of Hochiki products for the end user, over 80% of the responses were positive. Many customers noted a desire for cloud solution technology, and for a more expansive range of emergency lighting fittings. This is exciting news as the survey was completed just before the launch of FIREscape Nepto, Hochiki Europe’s newest emergency lighting system. FIREscape Nepto already offers a wider range of products, but a brand new feature which is due to be released later this year will enable the system to be monitored and interrogated live and remotely through a simple web browser interface. Email notifications can then be sent to report faults and alerts and system reports can be accessed/downloaded, all across the cloud. Something which Hochiki work hard on is to ensure that the whole team is able to provide expert customer service when required, and this was reflected in the survey results. An impressive 94% of those surveyed rated the Hochiki team as “helpful” or “very helpful” and over 96% of customers felt the team also understood their needs. The overall level of service provided by the technical support department was voted “excellent” or “very good”, with the same percentage of respondents rating the accuracy of the solution offered by technical support as “excellent” or “very good”. Anecdotally there was a consistency in responses that included words such as “reliable”, “intelligent”, “good” and “up to standards”. This sentiment is also reflected in Hochiki’s most recent customer story from Atlas World who installed a range of Hochiki products at Titanic Distillery in the world-famous Belfast’s Thompson Dry Dock. Commenting on the range of products installed, Gavin Nesbitt, Technical Sales Manager said: “For the standard, reliability, and ease of install I would not hesitate to recommend Hochiki Europe next time.” Commenting on the customer survey results, Mr Shinsuke Kubo, Commercial Director for Hochiki Europe, Middle East, Africa and India said “The results of our customer survey are really encouraging, especially considering what the world has experienced over the last few years. Manufacturing across all industries has felt the impact, but the credit must go to our team of dedicated fire industry experts. They have ensured that our customers receive a best-in-class service, continue to bring innovative products to market, and all the while ensuring that Hochiki continues to be the world’s most trusted name in life safety. We know there are areas to improve, we really value this insight, alongside ongoing feedback from projects in motion right now. It’s this two-way communication with our customers that is invaluable and will help us to continue to move forward – committed to meeting the needs of our customers and the market, now and in the future.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
